Bounty of the Heart
by Yuriko Tsukino
Summary: Gomen ne, minnasan, but the story is too short to summarize. You just have to read....


The is my first Cowboy Beebop fic, and it came to me in the middle of the night (like most of my fics) so it may be slightly ooc, but I hope you enjoy. Sorry it's so short.  
  
Bounty of the Heart by Lilith Tsukino  
  
Spike entered the room, expecting to be alone. He thought he was, until he heard a sigh by the window. "Fei? What are you doing?" She didn't answer for several moments. He was about to leave, thinking that she had chosen to ignore him, when she spoke, very quietly. "Spike?" "Hm?" "What do you think of me?" Spike blinked. That wasn't what he had expected her to say. "What do you mean?" "I mean...never mind." She turned her head back to the window, her breath making white clouds on the glass. Curiouse, he approached her. "Fei? What's wrong?" She wore the saddest expression he had ever seen. "You wouldn't care if I told you. You'd just stand there and pretend to be interested while I'm here pouring my heart out to you." Spike crossed his fingers behind his back. "No I wouldn't." "Yes you would." "O.k, so I would, but what's the harm in telling someone? It's not like you to be so depressed." Fei took a breath, trying to decide if she should tell him. "Promise you won't tell anyone or roll your eyes at me or anything?" "Promise." Shoot, forgot to cross my fingers that time, he thought. Oh well. Can't be too important. "There's a man...I'm in love with him. But I can't tell him, because I don't think he feels the same about me. I don't even think he really considers me a friend; just an ali, and as long as I don't tell him, we can at least be around each other without tension or anything. But once he knows...I don't think I'd be able to stay around him any more. It would just hurt too much to know for certain that he feels the way I think he does." Spike looked down at her. "You should still tell him." "I know. It's just getting to that point where I can't wait much longer. And I'm almost postive what he's going to say..." She leaned her head on the window frame, tears glistening down her cheeks. Spike put a hand on her shoulder. "Fei..." It was so unlike her to cry. She looked up at him with damp eyes, and took a step towards him. Then she was resting her head on his chest, clinging to his jacket for dear life while crying quietly. Unsure of what to do, Spike patted her head and rested his other hand on her shoulder blades. After several moments, she calmed down, and was able to speak. "Spike?" "Yeah?" "I-I love you." Fei pulled away, staring up into his eyes. "Fei...I don't...I'm sorry..." Spike dropped his hands. She tried to smile. "It's o.k. I thought that's what you'd say." She turned and srode away. Somewhere down the corridor, Spike heard her begin to run.  
  
Fei lay face down on her bed, chin on her crossed arms. It's not like I expected him to say anything else. Heck, it's my own fault. I'm just the gambler, the one that always needs rescued and always brings on twice as much trouble as she solves. She rolled onto her back. "...But it would have been nice...to pretend for just a little longer." They'd be stopping on Venus soon, just to refuel. She'd get off there when no one was looking. Only about ten more minutes until landing. Fei swung her legs off the bed, grabbing her bag. It was now or never. It wasn't hard to avoid being seen. Spike and Jet were at the loading dock, and Ed was dead to the world on the couch, muttering something about cheeseburgers and ice cream. Fei was actually on the plannet itself, adjusting to the helium filled atmostphere with the aide of a pill she had gambled away from an innocent bystander before anyone realized she was gone. "Fei?" Fei wirled around. "Spike-" "So you really can't stand to be around me that much, hm?" Fei went up to him. "I told you, Spike, I couldn't stand to know for sure..." "So you're running." She gave a hint of her old, cocky grin. "Yeah...I guess so. But hey. Maybe our bounty trails will cross some day, and I'll see you again." Fei grabbed his chin and pulled his head down, giving him a deep kiss. "You don't know what you're missing out on, Spike," she said. "Bye now." And with that, she was gone, swallowed up in the crowd.  
  
1 month later  
  
"Sorry, sir, but I win again." "This table has to be rigged!" "Nope. It's all luck of the deal." "You mean it's all the luck of your deal." "You could say that." Fei grinned impishy and began to shuffle the deck of cards. She looked around, waiting for her next victaim-er, customer. Fei's breath caught in her throat and the cards scattered everywhere. "Spike..." It could only be him. The dark, curly hair, the blue jacket...and wasn't that Ein tagging along at his heels? He looked at her, their eyes meeting, and began to come towards the table. Fei froze, not even ralizing that her special black jack deck was scattered face up for the world to see. The man she had been playing was sputtering and muttering obsineties in a growing voice at the sight of the deck, but she didn't notice. She was too busy watching Spike. He came up to her, grabbing her upper arm, and began to drag her off. "Hey! I wasn't finnished with her yet!" cried the customer. "I need to get back the money she stole from me!" "Sorry pal. You should no better than to gamble with a proffesional. Besides. This concerns old business," Spike replied. He lashed out with two fingers, hitting a presure point on the man's neck, making him pass out. "Spike! Do you realize how bad that is for business?!" Fei cried as he pulled he toward the casino exit. "Sorry, but we need to talk." Taken aback by his serriouse expression, Fei followed without complaint. He led her out into the alley behind the casino. "Well, you were right," he said after a pause. "Our bounty paths did cross again. But I never thought that you'd be the one I was trying to catch." "What? What do you mean? I've got a bounty on my head? For what?" "Theft." "But I haven't stollen anything! I may bave swindled and cheated a few -ok, maybe a lot- of people out of their money, but I never actually stole anything! Spike, you have to believe me-" "Fei, it's no use. I know you're guilty, because what you stole was mine. I realized it was gone within hours of your leaving the Beebop. You're the only one who could have taken it." "It wasn't me! It was probably the kid! You know I never liked her- " "It wasn't Ed. I know it was you." "Could you at least tell me what I'm accused of stealing? Maybe I can prove you wrong! Innocent until proven guilty, right?" Fei's voice began to rise as Spike advanced on her, pinning her against a wall. "Right?" she squeaked. Spike put his face very close to hers, his hands braced on the wall behind her. "What you stole," he said in a low voice, "is my heart." He lowered his face the rest of the way, and kissed her before she could object. "You jerk," Fei whispered when he pulled away. "I don't know it I should slap you or kiss you." "How about the second one?" So she did. 


End file.
